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Plant based revolution

Plant based nutrition is leading the way in a health revolution that is putting the macrobiotic approach into the mainstream.

A plant-based diet, at the centre of macrobiotic philosophy since its inception in the early 20th Century, is now at the forefront of the latest scientific advice on nutrition.

The latest report in May, from the University of Navarra in Spain, says that cutting down on meat can almost half the risk of obesity.

Researchers, who carried out a study of 16,000 people, found that even a “flexitarian” approach of eating more meat-free meals and extra fruit and vegetables each week was enough to keep weight off and hence reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

School principal Oliver Cowmeadow said: “More and more research is confirming the benefits of the macrobiotic approach. At the school we’ve taught hundreds of people how to transform their health, eat and cook balanced, appetizing and delicious meals that are in tune with their bodies and the environment.”

A previous study by the University of Adelaide suggested that fats and carbohydrates can provide us with enough energy to meet the needs of most modern lifestyles and are digested faster than protein.

Eating a lot of processed meat such as bacon and sausages has been linked to obesity and research has suggested it increases the risk of certain cancers - the classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has given it the highest possible carcinogen rating, shared with alcohol, asbestos, arsenic and cigarettes

The Times reported recently that, according to data from Kantar Worldpanel there are around 2.2 million more part-time vegetarians in Britain than two years ago.

Method:
1. Place the tempeh in a pan with all the stock ingredients.
2. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, sauté the onions in oil, with a pinch of salt until just soft.
4. Add the carrot and pepper and fry for a few more minutes.
5. Remove the tempeh from the stock and dry well on kitchen paper.
6. Add some of the stock to the vegetables along with the all the sauce ingredients.
7. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Mix some kuzu or arrowroot with cold water and add to the sauce to thicken.
9. Cut the tempeh into slices and fry in oil until golden brown on both sides.
10. Add the tempeh to the sauce and cook for another 5-10 minutes.